


Enclosed in Your Embrace

by Dragoon_sama



Category: Ghost - Mystery Skulls (Music Video), Mystery Skulls (Band)
Genre: Fluff, OT3, but not the bad kind, claustrophobia of sorts, if that makes sense, which it will if you read it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-10
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-02-28 23:06:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2750480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragoon_sama/pseuds/Dragoon_sama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The gang all feel claustrophobic in their own way.</p><p>Aka I write four unrelated one shots starring each character, all of which should be fluffy and cute and vaguely OT3 leaning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lewis

Strictly speaking, Lewis didn't need to sleep.  Being dead, not having a mortal body anymore, well...it had sort of ruined that particular biological requirement for him.  That was not to say Lewis didn't need _rest_ , however.  There were times where his spiritual energy ran low, where the flames flickered fitfully and remaining solid was a chore.   

When he'd been in the mansion—little as he liked to remember that time of pain and rage—he did remember how he'd saturated the old house, how his spirit had permeated the walls and resonated back at him, keeping him strong and aware.  The advantage of being a stationary ghost, tied to a place, he supposed.

He wouldn't give up traveling with his friends (family, _home_ ) for such a paltry reason, nor would he force them to tie themselves to one location.  Vivi, if no other, did not deserve to have her enthusiasm and passion for life (and death!) snuffed out, and the urge to travel was irresistible to her.  She was not ready to settle down now, if ever, and while a haunted mansion could hold her attention for a while, Lewis knew she'd stagnate. 

Arthur would be more amenable to putting down permanent roots, but Lewis had doubts that a spirit-filled home was what he'd had in mind.  Lewis was one thing—familiar, protective, and someone Arthur felt _safe_ with—but the lonely wisps that would congregate when Lewis stayed in one place too long were another.  (Lewis didn't mind them, and they were drawn to the stronger spirit, weaving in and out of his afterlife at their own whims.) 

So Lewis had had to improvise.  He'd fall into the rare 'sleep', recharging and recovering his strength.  Unfortunately the only way to truly rest was if he had a physical focus, like the mansion had been.  Even more unfortunately, the only portable thing that worked was the coffin.   

Vivi had exclaimed about how it could be Lewis' psychology on death manifesting in a way he understood, and how in other cultures a ghost would find a different way of anchoring itself to the physical world, and how _it was so cool!_   

Arthur had blanched, looking (it had to be said) a little green around the gills, but had said _whatever you need buddy,_ before retreating swiftly to the front of the van, popping the hood and tinkering on something inside ( _hiding_ ).

So it was that the back of the van now had the coffin as a permanent fixture (for none of them even touched on the idea of lugging it into a hotel room).  Whenever the compulsion came, Lewis had easy access to his recharge station.  And while it didn't bother him one way or the other, Lewis was touched that his friends insisted on stopping their travel when he did sleep, even forgoing a hotel room to bed down in whatever corner of the van they could.

It made things feel normal again.  Normal, up until Lewis crawled into the coffin, lying on his back with his arms at his side, still as death.  Only his heart moved, the constant beat beat a bright glow against the lid of the coffin, swirling between yellow and blue and red and pink ( _Magenta_!  Vivi would insist hotly as Lewis laughed, unoffended).  It wasn't sleep.  His mind didn't go blank, and Lewis wasn't _unaware_ of his surroundings.  But it was a detachment from the living realm, a non-existence he couldn't quite put into words no matter how many ways Vivi phrased the question.

Even so, the walls of the coffin often felt like a prison, despite that there was plenty of room for his large body.  It was a perfect fit, of course, since it was _made_ for him.  And it was another reminder of what he'd lost, and that he wasn't _supposed_ to have again.  Maybe he was more bothered by the coffin than he'd admit.  Either way, it was a sacrifice he was happy to make, minor in the scheme of things.

That was why he was surprised one rest as he became aware of movement above him, the slow slide of the coffin lid opening up.  Lewis came back to himself quickly, wary of a threat, but he recognized the bright shock of yellow hair even as he wondered what Arthur thought he was doing.  Then Vivi came into his view as well, her eyes sleepy as she held a drowsy Mystery against her chest.  He was too big and too heavy for that to be comfortable, his lower half hanging with Vivi's arms wrapped around his chest, but it didn't seem to bother him.  

Before Lewis could speak, ask them what was wrong (because something had to be wrong for them to be at his coffin, right?), Vivi hefted Mystery higher, dumping him on Lewis' feet.  Then she all but rolled over the edge of the coffin right into Lewis' side, her head thumping down on his chest.  She was asleep again in the next moment, her even breaths warm against his heart which edged blue every time she exhaled.  Lewis cast a surprised look up at Arthur, who hesitated a moment before grasping the edge of the coffin, hopping up and sliding more gently to Lewis' other side.  He had, Lewis noted detachedly, already removed his metal arm, and the lack of it meant he fit in the space left more comfortably than otherwise.

Arthur was staring holes into Lewis' chest, his hand plucking nervously at the suit fabric there, and his hair barely brushed against Lewis' face in a gentle tickle as he had his head pillowed on Lewis' shoulder.  He looked exhausted, dark circles under his eyes and a frown pulling at his mouth.  He took a deep breath, as if steeling himself, then gave Lewis a half-hearted glare.  "You'd better not spirit up my van."  Then he closed his eyes and threw his arm across Lewis' chest and Vivi's waist, relaxing bonelessly into them with a sigh.

Lewis' dumbfounded stare moved to Vivi as she gave a sleepy giggle, her eyes blue slits as she grinned against Lewis' chest.  "That would be amazing," she slurred, still half asleep.

"No," was Arthur's grumpy rebuttal, and he tightened his grip as he cracked open one eye to glare at her.  "That would be a complete desecration of a finely tuned mechanical achievement."

"That still breaks down any time it rains."

"That's not— "

"Or gets foggy."

"It isn't— "

"Or every time it's a full moon and midnight.  Really Arthur, now that I think about it are you trying to strand us in the creepiest places ever?"

"It's not like that!" he protested hotly, starting to sit up as Vivi doubled over giggling and buried her face further into Lewis' chest.

Lewis cut off the motion as he wrapped his arms around both of them, settling them more comfortably and hugging them close.  Warmth and contentment filled him, even as he felt the need to rest creeping back up on him, now he knew there was no danger to be had. "I promise not to _spirit up_ your van, Arthur," he rumbled.  He paused for a moment, considering.  "On purpose."  

Arthur grumbled and Vivi sighed, and a suspiciously amused doggy laugh came somewhere from the vicinity of Lewis' feet.  There were too many people in a space only meant for Lewis, and it was warm and crowded and _home_. 


	2. Vivi

The van rode smoothly along the highway, the endless miles of black tar disappearing under the tires as they drove aimlessly around.  Mystery was curled up fast asleep on the front seat between Lewis and Vivi, while Arthur was stretched out sideways in the back, typing away industriously on their shared laptop.  The mobile hotspot gave him access in most places they traveled, and now that they were between jobs one of them had to search for their next destination.  Vivi would have leapt for the chance to do the research, except that without fail she got violently carsick even attempting to look at the computer in the car.  She couldn't even watch movies to pass the time!  

While it normally wasn't a problem, right now she was itching with unspent energy.  She wanted to _do_ something, to get out of the stuffy van and find something new and exciting, something unexplainable and creepy cool to fascinate over.  Their last few jobs had been duds, simple tricks from people trying to give a scare.  Vivi _longed_ for another vengeful spirit, or satanic cult, or _something_ exciting!

Lewis was lazily tapping one finger against the wheel, his dark eyes the only indication of his other-worldly status, his other arm slung idly over the back of the bench seat.  Vivi had once asked him why, if he was able to appear human, he didn't change his eyes too.  He'd given her a serious look (he'd become more deliberate, more patient since his return) before cracking a grin and leaning in close, bumping his nose against hers.  " _Because it looks cool, of course._ "  She'd grinned back, surging forward to wrap her arms around his shoulders in a hug, though part of her knew there was more to it than that.  

Still, if Lewis didn't want to talk about it, she wasn't going to push it.  Yet.  Lewis' death was still ( _would always be_ _)_ a delicate topic, and she didn't yet know when she could push for her curiosity's sake over her friends' feelings.  Both of them.  Lewis seemed to have come to terms with his death, but Arthur's guilt was still too fragile for Vivi to risk saying something that would remind him.  

She shifted in her seat, propping her chin against her hand as she looked out the window with a sigh.  The van felt too stuffy, but cracking open a window was too noisy and cold.  She hated how it blew her hair around, so she refrained even though the breeze would have been nice.  One leg jiggled impatiently as she tried to lose herself in thought, but every time she tried to focus on something she felt an uncontrollable need to shift into a more comfortable position, breaking her concentration.  

Finally she gave a disgusted sigh, and unbuckled her seatbelt.  Sliding over on the seat, she lifted Mystery up, ignoring his sleepy wuffle as she hauled him over her lap.  He settled down again with a grumble, his head in her lap, and now Vivi could cuddle under Lewis' arm against his side.  Well, he had been holding it open so invitingly, who was she not to take advantage?  The buzz-thrum from Lewis always sent a thrill of curious excitement through her, and she could feel her heart slowing from its frantic patter as she relaxed into his side.

Lewis gave her an indulgent smile, dropping his arm from the seat back to curl around her shoulders.  He was always able to calm her impatience down and make her feel safe.  Sighing happily, Vivi was able to let her gaze unfocus on the road ahead as she ran her hands absently through Mystery's fur.  For a while, the only sound was the hum of the van and the clackity clack of Arthur typing in the background.

The peace was broken by a loud, "Aha!" from Arthur, and a hand flailed over the back of the seat as he waved it to get their attention, as if his shout hadn't already done so.  "I got us something, guys.  A phantom train has been showing up for the past few months, every night at one thirty two in the morning exactly.  There's even some photo documentation!  Looks like it's legit, and no deaths reported, so it shouldn't be _too_ dangerous."  Vivi peered over the back of the seat, catching Arthur's eyes as he looked up with a relieved grin on his face.  "It's a state away, so it's a bit of a drive, but—oomph!" he cut off abruptly as Vivi launched herself over the back of the seat and into his lap.  Lewis only missed getting brained by a foot by luck, and poor Mystery had been pushed half off the seat, but Vivi hardly noticed as she squealed happily in Arthur's ear.

"You are the _best_!" she cried, peppering kisses all over his face.  His arms were trapped under her weight, and his hands were occupied desperately trying to keep a grip on the laptop so it didn't go crashing to the ground, so all he could do was sputter helplessly under her assault.  Even as she dragged herself fully into the back seat, not letting Arthur slip away though he was trying his best to melt into the seat under him, Vivi felt lighter than air.  They had a _destination_ , something spooky to look forward to, and it was suddenly so much easier to _breathe_.

An amused chuckle floated up from the front seat, and Lewis peered back at them.  "Do I have a direction, or am I supposed to just guess?" he asked dryly.

"West—Vivi _please_ —just take the next highway, I'll find us a good route," Arthur said, squishing himself as far into the seat as he could to give Vivi room as she wiggled in beside him.  She had to brace her foot on the floor so as not to fall off, tangling her other leg with Arthur's, and she'd probably get a crick in her back soon enough, but she was too excited.  She even risked reading a few lines from the article to get a better idea of what would be at their destination.

Arthur grumbled, but Vivi just smiled as she felt his arm wrap around her waist carefully, supporting her awkward position.  She fiddled idly with the edge of his puffy vest, listening raptly as Arthur dictated to Lewis their new directions, chattering excitedly as she called up all her knowledge about the paranormal phenomena of haunted vehicles.  They wouldn't arrive until the next day, but who cared?  They had an _adventure_ to look forward to!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble number two! Two more to go. Now, do I go in order and do Arthur next, or do I save him for last and do Mystery next? Decisions decisions.


	3. Mystery

It was a terrible thing to feel confined by your own _skin._ Mystery hadn't had this problem _before_ _._  Before the cave which had, in effect, ruined all their lives.  They might be doing okay now, but they were a far cry from the optimistic group they had started out as.  

If he were to be honest, anything before Vivi was, well, a mystery.  That was the problem, wasn't it?  He could remember living with Vivi, could remember meeting Lewis and Arthur, but any time he tried to recall just how he'd come to be Vivi's pet his memory blurred.  He'd always assumed it was because he'd been young; after all, who remembers much from when they were a pup?

Vivi had asked him once if he was _really_ a dog.  At the time he'd been amused, if not a bit incredulous, and he'd looked down at himself before giving her a pointed look.  He hadn't understood why she'd look so torn at his response.  Its not like he was a _dog expert_ _._ He hadn't known that a _normal_ dog wouldn't have understood so clearly what was asked.  All he could do was act like himself, what he thought he was, and it had seemed to suffice.  People called him a _'_ _good dog,'_ he looked like a dog, so he obviously was one.  He didn't know better, and no one had corrected his assumption.

Then had come the _incident_ _._ It had been an investigation like all the others, someplace creepy that Vivi had found on a paranormal forum with tales of disappearance, death, and betrayal written in long paragraphs of warning, so of course she'd insisted they check it out.  Lewis and Vivi had been enthused, Mystery less so, and Arthur downright reluctant.  The cave had been just as ominous as promised, which again was par for the course, but Mystery had still felt something was _off_ _._ His hackles had raised, and he'd no idea why.

When it had been proposed they split up, he'd had every intention of going with Vivi.  It wasn't good to wander around alone, and she was _his_ human besides, and yet….  He'd looked after Arthur and Lewis, watching their forms disappear down the fork in the cave, and found himself padding silently behind them.  Guilt kept him far enough back not to be noticed by the pair.  It was _irrational_ _,_ he shouldn't _be_ there, he should have gone with Vivi—until suddenly it wasn't foolish anymore.

The dark presence that had suffocated the air in that cave in that moment was overwhelming.  Corrupt, putrid, it filled Mystery's senses with _wrong wrong **wrong**_ ** _,_ ** setting him on edge as he prepared for an attack he couldn't see coming ( _and he didn't notice his eyes become deep black pits as something in him reacted to the supernatural threat_ ).  He could easily have blamed the new and alien sensation for distracting him, for causing him to react just a breath too slow, but the truth was he'd frozen in horror when he saw Arthur push Lewis.  It had crashed right through the hot burn of _danger_ like a bucket of ice water, and he'd been unable to move as Lewis disappeared over the edge.  

It was the horrific cry from Arthur that had unfrozen him, anguish and terror mixed with an echo that sounded like triumph, and suddenly Mystery could _see_ the wrongness creeping up Arthur's arm, could see the wisps of green flowing in, trying to steal away one of _his humans and he wouldn't **allow it**_ ** _—_ **

He'd leapt forward, bones elongating and muscles shifting under fur as he _stretched_ and _shifted_ and for a moment he'd felt power and _freedom_ _,_ then there was the taste of iron in his mouth, blood running hotly over his tongue as he clamped jaws around the _wrongness_ and he'd mindlessly ripped it away from his friend, his only thought was not to lose _another one._

He came back to himself, realized he was hunched over and growling around the twitching flesh in his mouth, and Arthur was collapsed on his knees nearby.  Arthur, whose face was white with shock, who looked on the verge of blacking out, who was looking right at Mystery in a sort of disbelief as he clutched weakly at his bleeding shoulder where there was no longer an arm...and suddenly Mystery knew what was in his mouth, was aware of exactly what he'd just done.

Mystery had tossed his head, throwing the corrupt flesh as far into the abyss as he could, getting it _away_ from them.  The cave was alight in spirit energy, a glow Mystery could now see clearly in his new form.  He'd swished his tails, not knowing _how_ but sending the reaching tendrils away with a burst of his own power, keeping Arthur safe.  There was a strong concentration of energy below, and Mystery remember Lewis, remembered Vivi had been heading in that direction on the other path, and he needed to get them out, keep Vivi safe and get Arthur _help_ ( _there was nothing he could do for Lewis, and his mind howled with grief_ ).

It was scary to suddenly be in control of so much power but not have a clue on how to use it, why he had it.  It was _exhilarating_ at the same time.  Mystery was able to focus some of his power on Arthur, to stop the bleeding for _long enough_ _._ Despite the fact that Arthur had passed out, Mystery was easily able to keep him on his back as his large form bounded effortlessly to the fork in the cave, twisting and rushing after Vivi.  She'd been there, kneeling limply and staring across the expanse of stalagmites with a disturbingly blank expression on her face, and he'd scooped her up just as smoothly ( _not looking at the stain of red, not letting the pain and grief overtake his need to help the ones who were still alive, because the smell of death mixed with Lewis was everywhere down here and he **knew**_ ** _—_** )

The rest of the night had been a blur.  Mystery knew he'd gotten them to the van, that Vivi had shaken herself out of her daze to start the frantic drive to the hospital, that at some point he'd reverted back to his normal dog form ( _but he could still feel his other self under his skin, barely restrained now that he knew it was there_ ).  Arthur's recovery had been long and terrible, Vivi's grief and anxiety suffocating, and Mystery had wrestled with his own guilt and pain that he'd been too late, that despite all the power he had in his paws he'd not been able to do _anything_ to save them.

But they had recovered.  They'd learned to smile again, and had set out to face down their fears of the unknown with bright determination.  Even Arthur hadn't protested the return to their paranormal job, something in him desperate and burning.  Their faith had wavered badly when they'd come across the mansion, the spirit of their friend, and the seemingly insurmountable barrier of the deadly rage that had filled Lewis.  Yet somehow they'd soothed the wounds, repaired the bonds that had been shredded, regained a piece of themselves they'd lost in the cave.

It wasn't a perfect solution.  Lewis was still dead, still a spirit that succumbed to baser emotions of rage at the drop of a hat.  Arthur's nightmares had returned with a vengeance, not easily soothed by his friends' comforting arms.  Vivi existed in a precarious balance, her outwardly happy shell thin and fragile, while she tried to remain a pillar of strength for the other two as she rebuilt her own.  And Mystery….

He felt lost and confused.  In the months after Lewis' death, he'd fallen into a deep depression that had made it hard to get up in the mornings.  Arthur and Vivi had helped, as much as their own pain allowed, and it had been enough for Mystery to scrape himself back together.  But he couldn't forget what had happened to him in the cave, the freedom and power he'd felt when he'd changed.

There hadn't been a chance for him to change like that again.  He thought he _could_ _;_ now that he'd done it once it seemed obvious how to do it again, yet somehow he doubted an enormous demon (spirit? something else?  He didn't even know what he _was_ _,_ though it didn't matter too much except for what to call himself) would be appreciated in the middle of a crowded sidewalk. The itch under his skin was distracting, as was the feeling that he was too encased in his own fur.  He found himself stretching a lot more these days, arching his back and leaning to feel the pull in his legs, a poor substitute for what he'd experienced before.

Right now he was curled up in the back of the van with Lewis.  Lewis had adopted a human visage since it was still daytime and he could easily be spotted by other cars on the road.  Arthur was driving, while Vivi sitting sideways in the passenger seat so she could talk to them both easily.  Mystery let their voices wash over him, not bothering to focus on what they were saying.  Most likely it had to do with their next destination, and he was feeling a bit too blue to deal with that right now.  His light doze was interrupted briefly when one of Lewis' hands came down to stroke his head lightly.  He nuzzled it in acknowledgement, sneezing lightly as the other worldly buzz tickled his nose.   

It was peaceful, which was nice.  He still wished something distracting would come along so he could shake himself out of his dour mood.  As if that had been a signal, the van slowed to a stop, heeling over the last few bumps in the road.  It had, Mystery realized, been a much bumpier ride than was normal for the paved highways they usually traveled.  He lifted his head, wuffling in confusion as he saw an endless expanse of...well, nothing.  Just trees as far as the eye could see, the little dirt road they'd been traveling on winding further into the woods.  Were they here to investigate a haunted forest or something?  He probably should have been paying attention after all.

He nudged Lewis' hip, giving him a questioning look when the spirit looked down at him.  Lewis smiled, a familiar expression marred by the black eyes, but still as warm as it had always been.  "We're here," he said, as if that explained anything.

"Come on, Mystery.  Get out here!" Arthur called from outside the van.  Now that was unusual. Arthur was usually the least enthusiastic about their job, or at least the most cautious.

His confusion only grew as he pawed open the door, slipping out onto the grassy shoulder with a sigh.  Lately, he'd gotten better at being able to pinpoint hotspots and points of interest, and could tell the group when they were up against a legitimate supernatural phenomena.  Lewis helped as well, and between the two of them they hadn't taken up another fake job since.  Which was great for their business, but terrible on their nerves.  But there was nothing here, not even a wiff of a long-gone apparition.

Wandering around the van, he came to a stop in front of a grinning Vivi and Arthur.  The latter squatted down, scratching _just right_ behind Mystery's ear as he spoke.  "Okay, so, the thing is, we all kind of noticed— "

"You noticed, we just agreed with you," Lewis corrected, an anti-light edged with violet swallowing his human persona as he let his normal appearance through.  That meant the place was deserted of humans, for a good number of miles at least.  Lewis didn't risk being spotted otherwise.

"Whatever," Arthur said, flapping his hand at him.  "Point is, buddy, we think it's time you stretched your legs."  He grinned expectantly.  Mystery rewarded him with a blank stare.  Wasn't he doing that already?

Vivi caught on to his confusion, pushing Arthur backward with a palm to his face.  Ignoring his grumbles, she leaned over to catch Mystery's eyes easier.  "What he means is that we know you're not a normal dog, and it's not fair you have to pretend _all_ the time.  Lewis gets to relax, and so should you!  Unless," and here her expression turned worried, "you don't want to of course!  We're not pushing, it's just—"

Mystery barked, interrupting her before she could fluster herself.  He was...actually really touched.  He hadn't thought they'd remembered, really.  Arthur had been delirious at the time, and Vivi so out of it he'd wondered if she remembered at all.  Maybe there was more to it than a lack of opportunity; he was coming to realize that part of his reluctance to transform had stemmed from fear of shaking the group's bonds again.  Now here they were, freely offering what he'd just been wishing for.  He'd been stupid to let uncertainty cloud his judgement.

He couldn't help the backward wriggle of excitement, and Vivi and Arthur took that as their cue to retreat back a few steps.  Lewis glided over beside them, interest apparent in his burning eyes.  After all, he hadn't seen Mystery's other form at all.

Letting himself sink down, front paws flat on the ground as his hind paws braced him, Mystery reached inside himself for that flame that burned in his core.  It felt just like a good, long stretch, only it didn't stop when he reached the end of his arc, his body expanding and growing and it felt _wonderful_ _._  He'd been so cramped, wouldn't admit to feeling trapped, but _now_ he was free, and he stretched his neck back to howl in relief.  He heaved forward for a breath, letting the sound die off, and finally took in his friends' faces.

Arthur was grinning fit to break his face, a far cry from the fear Mystery had half expected.  A knot of worry eased in Mystery's chest at that, the relief that the most nervous of their group accepted him with open arms washing away the rest of the doubts he'd had.  Lewis gave a low, impressed whistle as he looked Mystery up and down. And Vivi...her eyes were _sparkling_ _,_ and her face was full of the joyful enthusiasm she always had when they came across the supernatural.  Once he caught her eyes, she couldn't restrain herself as she threw herself forward, wrapping her arms as far as they would go around his neck.  He rumbled happily, feeling her elated laugh vibrate where her face was pressed into his chest.

"This is so _amazing_ _,_ oh my _god_ Mystery we definitely have to do this more often!" she burbled, half climbing over him as she tried to take in his full form.  " _Tails!_ " she squeaked, "Oh I have so much _research_ to do!  I _knew_ you were special!"

He put up with the examination in good grace, tilting his head up as he took a long breath of air, feeling and tasting the wind, taking stock of their surroundings with his enhanced senses.  There really was no one for miles, no chance that they'd be interrupted, and the trees offered enough cover in case of prying eyes from the sky.  He could _relax_ here, just as they said.

Once Vivi had calmed down long enough to pry herself away, she retreated to Arthur's side, still bouncing on her heels in her excitement.  Arthur was rubbing his chin thoughtfully with his flesh hand.  "Dogs chase bones, right?" he asked, casting a sideways look at Lewis as a mischievous grin spread on his face.

"I think that's chew," Vivi corrected absently, before her face lit up in amused realization.

Lewis crossed his arms, and if a skull could look exasperated, his did.  "Ha ha guys.  Mystery wouldn't do that."  His gaze slid over to Mystery, who now towered over him, and Mystery stalked forward slowly as a dark grin stretched his mouth full of teeth.  

" ** _Fetch_** ** _,_** " he rumbled, reveling in the fact that he could _speak_ like this, no matter that his voice was harsh and dangerous.  He _liked_ that, it made him sound intimidating.  And from the look on Lewis' face, he'd succeeded.  With a startled yelp, Lewis took off in a blaze of magenta fire, pushing as fast as his spirit would allow as Mystery raced after in pursuit.  He wouldn't actually _hurt_ Lewis, he doubted he could really, but for now he reveled in the feeling of _freedom._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has some of my headcanons for Mystery, and thus is a /bit/ longer than the others >>
> 
> Also this is a drabble not a fully formed fic with perfect description, but it gets the ideas across so I am happy with it. (They totally would act like dorks supernatural abilities aside you /know/ they would)


	4. Arthur

Sometimes the sky was too large.

Which was a silly thing to think, of _course_ it was large, infinite almost, but that didn't stop the hunch from appearing in Arthur's shoulders when the feeling of _insignificance_ reared its ugly head.  It was akin to a panic attack, but less immediate; more of a slow crush instead of a vice around his throat.  Usually he was able to distract himself, either by keeping himself busy—maintenance on the van, working in the shop, enhancements for Galaham's wheels or his own arm, any myriad of other projects—or surrendering himself to the whims of his friends.  Other times it was like the world was surrounding him, pressing in on all sides in its endless space and compressing him in his own skin.  All he could do was hunch against the phantom sensation and focus on breathing.

The worst part was there was no _escape_ _._ This wasn't something he could run or hide from.  He couldn't just stop _existing_ until he felt better.  His mind would be trapped in a chaotic whirl of thought, while his body was paralyzed and suffocated.

He'd tried various things to take the edge off.  Wrapping himself in blankets only made the heat stifling, the cloth restricting his movement and sending him into a panicked flail to _get free_ _._ Being in a house or a car or a closet (he'd tried all different sizes of rooms) only made him restless to get _out_ _._ Being outside made it seem as if they sky was pushing down, the earth pressing against his feet, and Arthur was caught between the two inexorable forces.  

When the world pressed too close, it was the people that made it bearable.  Arthur couldn't count the number of times his Uncle's gruff voice pulled him out of a haze, his down to earth manner keeping Arthur grounded, straightening out the knots in his head.  Projects helped too; when Arthur could focus on one thing, it made the rest of the world disappear for a time.  He could spend hours straight and days on end in the shop or his own workshop, only disturbed by the occasional nut or bolt going missing as Galaham zipped about.

The _problem_ was that that only worked when he was home.  These days most of his time was spent out on the road, crashing at hole-in-the-wall motels or camping in and around the van.  It was sheer stubbornness that brought him through the tougher moments, deflection and just plain hiding through the rest of the uncontrolled shivering and too-fast breaths.  

Arthur loved his friends.  He really did, and when he was with them the panic always receded as if it never was.  It was far better than any distraction had ever managed.  All it took was Vivi's breathless enthusiasm as she pulled him into her research, and though they devolved into heavy debates on the reliability of the sources, their method of approaching the situation, or how many pit-stops they should plan for on the way, Arthur could _feel_ the holes being punched in the space around him, light and air metaphorically pouring through her brilliant smile and flashing eyes.  

Strong, solid, _reliable, dependable_ Lewis who was both an anchor and a wrecking ball, breaking through Arthur's walls as if they were paper but also supporting him through his tumultuous emotions.  Where Vivi filled silences, Lewis _listened_ _,_ understood them, and then sought to draw Arthur out.  Vivi's obsession with the supernatural was her charm, but Lewis was in tune with _people_ _._ He claimed it came from growing up in a big family, where attention was coveted and interests were as varied as the stars.  With Lewis came stories; anecdotes of childhood mischief, talk of current events, musings on future dreams, it was easy to get lost in the world Lewis painted with his words.  

And when the opportunity arose, when words weren't enough distraction, Mystery was always happy to muscle in and have a turn.  His favorite tactic was to nudge them into playing an advanced game of keep-away-tag, where the three of them would run, climb, hide, pass and throw a ball (or notebook, car keys, any number of other things if Mystery was feeling particularly mischievous) to keep it out of reach of his crafty paws.  The game always was heated and competitive, leaving them in a sweaty, exhausted, happy pile at the end (with Mystery perched triumphantly on Arthur's back more often than not).

His friends understood, were willing to help in any way they could, and yet...and yet there were still times when Arthur couldn't bring himself to reach out, couldn't force his voice to speak up.  He knew he was being silly ( _foolish, stupid, selfish, so many words to add to the weight on his shoulders_ ), he _knew_ his friends wouldn't find him annoying ( _irritating, too much trouble, worthless, childish_ ), but he could _not_ make his mind stop the inescapable whispers.

Then the cave had happened, and it got so much _worse_ _._ Guilt, dark and heavy and _cloying_ clogged his mind and stole his breath, and a new self-loathing wrapped itself around his shoulders like a vice.   _If only he'd said something, if only he hadn't been so **weak,** if only he wasn't so useless_ _._ What-ifs filled the air around him, taunting him with _what could have been_ _,_ and suddenly the sky wasn't big _enough_ _,_ couldn't hold all of the regrets that threatened to overwhelm him.  He'd wished time and time again he could go back to _before_ _,_ where the problems had all been in his head, hadn't been _real_ _,_ hadn't been _his fault_ _._ At the time they had seemed insurmountable, but it was nothing to _now._

He could continue on, acting normal, smiling when Vivi needed it, playing when Mystery demanded it, but the pressure never let up anymore.

If Arthur were completely honest with himself, no matter how painful it was, no matter how crushing the world seemed, he still wanted to _live_ _._  He just...wanted it to stop hurting so much.  Wanted to be able to be happy and free like everyone else seemed to manage so effortlessly.  That desire, subdued though it was, was what had set Arthur's feet to running when, in the flow of time, they'd come across a certain haunted mansion, when the one who _deserved_ retribution was denied it by Arthur's own cowardice and will to live.

Only it wasn't just Arthur that had a say in it.  

There was nowhere he could run that Lewis couldn't follow.

There was no force Lewis could call that Mystery couldn't counter.

There was no anger that Vivi couldn't sooth.  

The aftermath lasted weeks, hard weeks of broken trust and tentative truces, a slow rekindling of connections and relationships that had been damaged but not severed completely.  Somehow, through the fire of trial and error, they became whole again.  The cracks had been soothed over, healed but still scarred, and somehow stronger for being there at all.  There was understanding, and an unspoken promise to never let their small family be torn asunder again.

So when all the words had been spoken, when their bodies and minds were tired and content, Arthur would find himself with Vivi wrapped in his arms, her head on his shoulder and her arms securely around him; he'd find Lewis cradling them in his embrace, his arms wide enough to encompass them and hold them close, heart a soothing rhythm echoing around them; he'd find Mystery wrapped around them all, his large form a wall of support, his many tails circling and comforting.  

The world couldn't get passed them, was forced back, and Arthur could feel himself _breathe._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you're all wondering; did she forget? All she's giving us are (admittedly fun but wholly unsatisfying) headcanons! *whispers* on my tumblr at least
> 
> I did not forget! I was just...busy. :p
> 
> Drrrabble number four, Arthur to close out the lot. Honestly I find this one to be the weakest in ways, and yet in the end I am happy with it, soooo let's see what y'all think.

**Author's Note:**

> This is another friend prompt, which turned into four ideas. The other chapters will of course be posted as they are written!
> 
> Prompt:  
> Fluffy, post-ghost  
> Word prompt: claustrophobia


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